Geranium plant &#34;Siren&#34;

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new distinct cultivar of geranium substantially as illustrated and described characterized as being particularly well adapted to both commercial greenhouse production and garden performance, and possessing unique flavonol and anthocyanin profiles and double flowers when compared to geranium cultivar &#34;Bruni&#34;.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of geranium Pelargonium×hortorum called "Siren". The cultivar is particularly well adapted to both commercial greenhouse production as well as garden performance. The cultivar is characterized as to novelty as having double flowers when compared to the parent geranium cultivar "Bruni". The cultivar is further characterized by unique biochemical fingerprint profiles.

The cultivar was developed from an organized, scientifically designed breeding program carried out at the Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 and specifically was selected from the self-pollinated progeny of the geranium cultivar "Bruni". The selection was asexually propagated by cuttings and the reproductions ran true.

With reference to the detailed description of the cultivar which follows, the test plant was grown in full sun under glass, 62° F. night and 68° F. cloudy days, 75° F. sunny days. Soilless medium was fertilized once per week with 15-15-15 at 275 ppm N. Color readings were taken under cool white fluorescent lamps at 150 footcandles and color identification was by reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Charts except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates in color the cultivar including foliage and flowers.

FIG. 2 illustrates the anthocyanin profile obtained from HPLC. Quantitative values are found in the tables. Analyses included a single peak that represented both pelargonidin and petunidin 3,5-diglucosides. Corrections were made in accompanying tables.

Peak No.

1. Delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside

2. Cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside

3. Pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside

4. Peonidin 3,5-diglucoside

5. Malvidin 3,5-diglucoside

FIG. 3 illustrates the flavonol profile obtained from HPLC. Quantitative values are found in the tables.

Peak No.

1. Quercetin 3-rhamnosylgalactoside

2. Quercetin 3-rutinoside

3. Quercetin 3-galactoside

4. Quercetin 3-glucoside

5. Kaempferol 3-rhamnosylgalactoside

6. Kaempferol 3-galactoside

7. Kaempferol 3-rutinoside

8. Kaempferol 3-glucoside; Kaempferol 7-glucoside; Quercetin 3-rhamnoside

9. Kaempferol 3-xyloside

10. Kaempferol 3-arabinoside

11. Kaempferol 3-rhamnoside

THE PLANT

Classification:

Botanical.--Pelargonium×hortorum.

Tradename.--#719 (80-210-27)="Siren".

Form: Compact, globe, symmetrical.

Height: 25.0-30.0 cm.

Growth: Short internodes, self branching; leaves and stem somewhat small; flowers borne close to foliage.

Strength: Excellent, uniform.

Leaves:

Size.--6.0-11.0 cm.

Shape.--Reniform, variously lobed.

Margin.--Crenate.

Texture.--Pubescent.

Color.--Top: Fan 3, green group 137-B (RHSCC). Bottom: Fan 3, green group 138-B (RHSCC).

Ribs and veins.--Palmate veins; Ribs suppressed and distinct, Fan 3, green group 143-C (RHSCC).

Petioles: Stalked 6.0-9.0 cm.

Stem:

Color.--Fan 3, yellow-green group 144-A (RHSCC).

Internodes.--1.5-2.0 cm.

THE BUD

Shape: Globular.

Size: 1.5 cm diameter.

INFLORESCENCE

Blooming habit: Medium to small diameter bloom, very double-looking, ball-shaped head, flowers close to foliage.

Size: 7.0-10.0 cm. across.

Borne: Heavy, strong peduncle; modified umbel.

Florets:

Form.--Round-cupped, 3.5-5.0 cm -- has double appearance from twisted, irregular petals.

Petals.--12-16.

Size.--1.5-2.0 cm long and 1.0-1.5 cm wide.

Texture and appearance.--Smooth-satiny, dark cherry red. Top: Fan 1, red group -- 43-A (RHSCC). Bottom: Fan 1, red group -- 40-B (RHSCC).

Petaloids:

Quantity.--2-4.

Shape.--Twisted.

Color.--Same as petals.

Pedicel: 2.0-2.5 cm in length.

Peduncle: 12.0-14.0 cm long, heavy and strong.

Persistence: Non-shattering.

Disease resistance: Not evaluated.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens:

Anthers.--Small, purplish 2.0-3.0 mm.

Filaments.--Flat white, 5.0-7.5 mm long, top red.

Pollen.--Yellow.

Pistils:

Number.--1.

Length.--1.0 cm.

Stigma.--4- or 5-lobed, orange.

Style.--Green; 5 cm.

Ovaries: Green, pubescent; 4- or 5-lobed.

Fruit: None.

BIOCHEMICAL PROFILES

In recent years, biochemical analysis has played an increasing role in plant systematics and taxonomy. In order to further characterize the cultivar, flavonols and anthocyanins were extracted from florets of the cultivar and its parent and subjected to analysis by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Background information supporting the validity of the HPLC technique can be found in an article by Asen & Griesbach ("High Pressure Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Flavonoids in Geranium Florets as an Adjunct for Cultivar Identification", S. Asen and R. Griesbach, J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 108(5):845-850 (1983)), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the method for performing the analysis was carried out as follows:

Flavonoid extraction.

The sample size for flavonoid identification consisted of the petals from six florets just after anthesis. Three different samples were collected from each cultivar and handled separately for analysis. The petals were weighed, ground in 20 ml of 1% HCl-MeOH with a mortar and pestle, filtered through one layer of Whatman #1 filter paper, and washed with 1% HCl-MeOH. The volume was adjusted to 90 ml and 2-15 ml aliquots were removed for the analysis and handled separately. Each aliquot was taken to dryness at 40° C. in vacuo. All traces of HCl were removed by azeotropic distillation with MeOH. One of the dried extracts was reconstituted in 2 ml of 1% HCl-MeOH and was used for anthocyanin analysis. The other was reconstituted in 2 ml of MeOH and was used for flavonol analysis. Each sample was stored at -34° C. until analyzed.

HPLC.

Samples were analyzed on a Waters High Performance Liquid Chromatograph equipped with an automatic injection system (Waters Assoc. Wisp 71OA), dual pumps (Waters Assoc. Model 6000A), solvent programmer (Waters Assoc. Model 600), data module (Waters Assoc.), variable wavelength detector (Waters Assoc. Model 480), and a C₁₈ column (25 cm×0.46 cm and 5 μm particle size, Supelco).

Most of the flavonol compounds were separated by a linear gradient of 8% to 23% pump B over 55 min (pump A=1% triethylamine buffered to pH 3.0 with H₃ PO₄ (TEAP); pump B=CH₃ CN) at a flow rate of 1.2 ml/min and a chart speed of 0.5 cm/min. Detection was at 340 nm.

The anthocyanins were resolved by a linear gradient of 30% to 50% pump B over 40 min (pump A=1.5% H₃ PO₄ ; pump B=20% HOAc+25% CH₃ CN+55% of 1.5% H₃ PO₄) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min and a chart speed of 0.5 cm/min. Detection was at 546 nm utilizing a fixed wavelength detector.

The flavonoids were quantified by injecting standards and comparing their peak areas with those from the plant samples. The results are expressed as μg of flavonoid/g fresh weight of plant material.

Results

Chromatographic profiles for anthocyanins and flavonols are presented in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively; quantification of these profiles by comparison to standards is presented in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.

The anthocyanins petunidin and pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside were not resolved by the solvent system used. Past research has shown only negligible amounts of petunidin 3,5-diglucoside to be present in geranium florets compared to pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside. In light of this, the peak corresponding to petunidin and pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside was quantified as pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside.

Kaempferol 3-rhamnoside could not be quantitated for several cultivars and is designated as ND (not determined). The chromatograms showed a small, wide peak in the region of elution for this compound. If a substantial amount of this compound were present, a distinct peak appeared but minute quantities, if present, were masked.

Other barriers to quantitation of several flavonols existed. Kaempferol 3-glucoside, kaempferol 7-glucoside, and quercetin 3-rhamnoside all had the same retention time under these conditions. If these compounds are needed to distinguish between cultivars, they would have to be separated by other solvents or column types. Quercetin 3-xyloside appeared in several of the comparisons, but standards were not available to quantify this compound.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Anthocyanin concentration in petals of geranium florets                        μg anthocyanidin 3,5-diglucoside/g fresh wt.                                Cul-   Delphin- Cya-   Pelar-                                                  tivar  idin     nidin  gonidin                                                                              Peonidin                                                                              Malvidin                                                                              Total                               ______________________________________                                         719    --.sup.z 149    1933  1461   43     3586                                Bruni  --        78    6251  2418   --     7747                                ______________________________________                                          .sup.z -- = not detected.                                                

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Flavonol concentration in petals of geranium florets                           ______________________________________                                                μg/g fresh wt.                                                                Qu3-.sup.z                                                                               Qu3-   Qu3-   Qu3- Km3-                                     Cultivar rhagal    rut    gal    glu  rhagal                                   ______________________________________                                         719      t.sup.y   t      t      18    78                                      Bruni    11        34     --.sup.w                                                                              t    307                                      ______________________________________                                         μg/g fresh wt.                                                                     Km3-      Km3-    Km3-  Km3-  Km3-                                      Cultivar                                                                              gal       rut     xyl   arab  rha   Total                               ______________________________________                                         719    178        171    34    117   ND.sup.x                                                                              611                                Bruni   47       1257    13     49   185   1908                                ______________________________________                                          .sup.z Abbreviations:                                                          Km = Kaempferol;                                                               Qu = Quercetin;                                                                arab = arabinoside;                                                            gal = galactoside;                                                             glu = glucoside;                                                               rha = rhamnoside                                                               rhagal = rhamnosylgalactoside;                                                 rut = rutinoside;                                                              xyl = xyloside.                                                                .sup.y t = trace <10 μg.                                                    .sup.x ND = not determined.                                                    .sup.w -- = not detected.                                                 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new distinct cultivar of geranium substantially as illustrated and described characterized as being particularly well adapted to both commercial greenhouse production and garden performance, and possessing unique flavonol and anthocyanin profiles and double flowers when compared to the geranium cultivar "Bruni". 